護士工作壓力的因應策略及心理健康：新加坡的經驗

Stress Coping Strategy and Psychological Well-Being of Nurses: The Singapore Experience

本文探討新加坡公立醫院工作的護士對於工作壓力的因應策略及心理健康，參與此研究的護士共1,043人，年齡平均為33.8歲，標準差為9.2年。她們來自三間公立醫院的各個部門。大多數（94%）為女性。她們對付工作壓力的因應策略可分為五大類：問題取向、轉換景觀、增強工作能力、正面情緒焦點的因應行為及負面情緒焦點的因應行為。護士所表現的傾向是採取現實和問題焦點為因應策略，多於其它策略。這一點以高職位和教育較高的護士更為明顯。結果又顯示，護士與其尋求專業人士的幫忙，寧願以自強及自恃的方法以抗衡工作的壓力。這些策略與工作滿意程度有顯著相關。其相關程度比諸策略與利用GHQ-12量度出來的個人心理健康狀況的關係為高。研究沒有發現各項因應策略有任何中介作用。但以負面情緒焦點的因應行為則發現會加重工作壓力所引起的不良作用。

This study examined the stress coping strategies and psychological well-being of nurses working in the public hospitals in Singapore. The nurses participated in this study (N=l,043)had a mean age of 33.8 years, with a standard deviation (SD) of 9.2 years. They came from various departments of three public hospitals and most of them (94%) were females. Five major categories of coping strategy were identified, viz. , problem orientation, change of perspective, ability enhancement, positive emotion-focused coping, and negative emotion-focused coping. Nurses exhibited a greater tendency to adopt realistic and problem-focused copings than other strategies in dealing with their work stress. This was particularly obvious among subjects in higher nursing grades or with higher level of education. The findings also showed that nurses preferred self-improvement and self-reliance to seeking help from professionals. The stress coping strategies were related more significantly to job satisfaction than mental health status as measured by the GHQ-12. No evidence was found suggestive of any mediating effects of the various coping strategies. Negative emotion-focused coping was found to exacerbate the adverse effect of work stress.